Tzatziki with Pita
(a creamy, tangy dip)

Servings: two

Equipment: none

How long does it take?

10 minutes

What's in it?

8 ounces nonfat plain yogurt
1 small onion
1 cucumber
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 7-inch whole-wheat pita bread

How to make it:

Slice onion and cucumber in half. Wrap half of the onion and half of the cucumber, and store in the refrigerator. Remove the skin from the onion, and slice thinly. Peel cucumber with a vegetable peeler, and slice thinly. Peel and chop garlic. Place yogurt in a medium bowl, and add onion, cucumber, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice pita bread into 2-inch sections, and dip into yogurt mixture.

Nutrition breakdown:

Calories: 114 (7% from fat), Protein: 9 g, Carbohydrate: 19 g, Fat: 1 g (saturated fat: 0), Vitamin B12: 1 mg (38% of the RDA), Riboflavin: (23% of the RDA), Calcium: 263 mg (22% of the RDA), Phosphorus: 224 mg (19% of the RDA)

What's in it for you?

Did you know that your body grows about 80 percent of its total bone mass by the time you are 16 years old? So feed your bones with calcium and mineral-rich foods like yogurt.

Whole-grain breads like whole-wheat pita have a whole lot of B vitamins, including B12, riboflavin, and thiamin, which help your nerves function. They also help you use the energy you get from the food you eat.

Chef's tip:

In addition to being a bonanza of a scrabble word, tzatziki (say tit-zee-kee) is a classic appetizer from Greece. Perfectly cooling for a hot summer day.

Do raw onions make you cry? Every chef has his or her secret to preventing watery eyes when chopping onions. Here are a few for you to try. Drop the onion in boiling water for eight seconds, chill, and then chop. Or slice the onion under running water. Another approach is to sniff a slice of lemon or lemon juice before you begin to slice and from time to time as you are working.